TV, My Sweet Nemesis

Oh, my sweet, sweet nemesis--television.

In March 2014 I publicly admitted my weakness. I'd created a late-night TV and junk food comfort zone. "Comfort zone" sound much better than "addiction," right? 

photo courtesy of vectorolie@freedititalphotos.net

I thought I'd conquered television's dreamy pull, but recent late-night reruns lured me back in.
Shows from the past half century unfold before my delighted (and slightly glazed) eyes.

The Twilight Zone. Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Perry Mason. The Rifleman . . .

Midnight finds me ransacking the fridge like a rabid wolverine. After stuffing my face I fall asleep to the TV's lulling drone.

The next day I wake bloated, groggy, and kicking myself for making such a foolish choice. 

Again.

Last night I prayed for help. Instead of a sudden disdain for chocolate or a potato chip aversion, the Lord reminded me of Galatians 5:22-23. 

 

One of the fruits of the spirit is self-control.
God had already given it to me, but I needed to exercise it.
Say WHAT?

Late night TV offers a slew of workout DVD's promising to strengthen my abs and glutes. Unfortunately, none for exercising self-control.
So I prayed, "OK, Lord, I need strength to exercise my self-control." Soon after I came across this passage,

"As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength." Psalm 138:3 NLT
And He did. Last night I snuggled in bed instead of the recliner, and held a book in place of a remote.

You might be saying, "TV addiction? Seriously? That's nothing compared to what I'm facing."
Fair enough. So what are you struggling with today?

• Drinking?
• Smoking?
• Drugs?
• Pornography?
• Stealing?
• Eating disorder?

The list is almost endless, but no matter what we battle, the bible offers good news.


"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

photo courtesy khunaspix @freedigitalphotos.net

No matter what you're struggling with, it's not bigger than God. He's an ever-present help in time of trouble.

Bring your situation to Him.
Dig into the bible to find answers to your issue.
Be accountable to trustworthy people.
Be honest with yourself.

And I'll do the same with the TV/late-night food obsession. The trail of Nacho Cheese Doritos would give me away anyhow.

Demolishing the Time-Suckers

We live in a fast-paced world. Demands tug at our time like an octopus on steroids. 


I looked at my to-do list recently and whined, "Lord, I don't have enough time. How am I supposed to get everything done?"
I'd entered Full Sniveling Complaint Mode, and didn't want an answer.

But God answered anyway.

He brought to mind all the Time-Suckers devouring my schedule. I took an honest look at my computer time and cringed.



Time-Sucker #1: The E-mail Flood.


Between 65-90 new emails attack my inbox daily, mainly because I'd signed up for a free webinar or make-up sample.

Tantalizing offers beckoned, and my mouse went on auto-click.
        

After all, Publisher's Clearing House assured me I was a MILLION DOLLAR WINNER!

I just needed to peek inside to confirm. I spent 6 minutes clicking through the links.

 All You magazine displayed 25 ways to clean my house with vinegar. I knew I wouldn't use any of the tips, but wasted 7 minutes scrolling through them anyway.

The Mayo Clinic's email showed delicious recipes I'd never make. That would involve cooking.


Yet I drooled over the pictures for 8 minutes.



Ecclesiastes chapter three speaks of a time for everything,

          




                            Weeping
                                          Laughing
                                                        Mourning 
                                                                       Dancing


I didn't see a specific verse about superfluous emails, but time is a precious gift from the Lord.
I'm going to use mine better.  
 

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)
 

Today I unsubscribed from a dozen sites.
I'd love to hear your top ways to control the inbox beast. Just don't add any recipes or cleaning tips, I beg you.

The next Time-Sucker on my list: social media. Raise your hand if you're addicted to videos of pajama-wearing goats.

All pictures courtesy of stockphotos @ freedigitalphotos.net

Finding The Rhythm of Joy

 

Can I share a secret?



stock images @freedigitalphotos.net

After a decade of moving to gospel music, it's hard to keep a polka beat. 

Last month I'd taken my wonderful in-laws to the Corrigan Senior Center's music fest. A gracious older man, Joe, danced me across the floor.

 

Going from Kirk Franklin's funk to Barefoot Becky's perky polkas, I needed to follow a new beat. 

All around me people spun to the music.
 

Joy surrounded me. I needed to catch the rhythm.

Much like a precious young woman I mentored.
 

She and her husband, both military, downsized to a small apartment right before his overseas duty tour. She was left stateside to handle a full time job, their newborn, and her step-son.

courtesy of debspoons @ freedigitalphoto.net

One evening I went to over to help. She turned to me in desperation and said, "I'm up with the baby all night, work all day, then come home to cook and clean and take care of the kids.

When's it my turn?"

I looked into her exhausted, tear-streaked face and answered,

   "Now."



She jerked to attention like a marionette in the hands of a demented puppeteer. She gestured to the piles of laundry and dirty dishes and said, "Ms. Jeanie, you gotta be kidding me."

I put my arms around her and shared the hard-won wisdom I'd learned through years of difficulties:

 

"You're not joyful BECAUSE of the mess, but You can find joy IN SPITE OF IT."

 

 

She seemed skeptical at first, but eventually weariness won out. She counceled with our pastor, Ramona Smith of Bible Truth Ministries, and received wisdom.

For instance, this new mom thought she needed to hold her baby whenever the child was awake. Also, she started asking her church family for help.

Here's a tip for everyone: Don't go it alone. The Lone Ranger wouldn't have gotten far without Tonto.


In Nehemiah 8:10 the people heard,
"...Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

We need to learn to dance to a new beat, to connect with the rhythm of joy.
Instead of complaining about the dirty dishes, thank God for the food.
Instead of complaining about the job, thank God you have a way to provide.

I'm not saying to stay in rotten situations.
I'm saying we need to live in joy as we pray and press our way out of those situations.

 

So whether you're clapping to a 1-3 beat or a 2-4, keep on singing, keep on praising, keep on dancing to the rhythm of joy.

 

If you feel so overwhelmed you don't believe things will ever get better, write me. I'll pray for you, and do my best to show you how to connect with joy.

#1 Personal Life Coach

Have you ever found yourself falling into a bad habit? Maybe one you'd conquered before?
I have. Then I beat myself up. "That was so stupid! Why did I do it...again?"

                Overeat.
                       Procrastinate.
                             Treat loved ones badly.  
                                    Waste hours on computer and TV.
                                             Drinking, drugs, pornography...

We've all been there. We knew something was detrimental, but we did it anyway. And continue doing it. Trapped in our own, sometimes hidden, prison.

Photo courtesy of sakhorn 38 @freedigitalphotos.net

Let's stop kicking ourselves, because that won't change things.
If we could break the cycle on our own, we'd have done it already.

The great news is:

No matter what we've done, there's a God who loves us, and is standing by to help us.

It's like having the all-time best life coach available 24/7. Free. Always invested in you. Always available to you. Always loving you.


When we know the right thing to do, but don't do it, it's called sin. It's doing things opposite of God's way. And it wreaks havoc in our lives.
The great news is:
 
God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. 1 John 1:9

That's a promise for everyone. And we don't need to feel alone or ashamed, like we're the only one struggling because the bible says: 

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles @ freedigitalphotos.net

 ^"You have never been tempted to sin in any different way than other people. God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted more than you can take. But when you are tempted, He will make a way for you to keep from falling into sin." 1 Corinthians 10:1


Today can be a new beginning. Let's follow God, the ultimate Life Coach, to break free from the things that keep us in chains.

Photo courtesy of Naypong @ freedigitalphotos.net

Calgon, take me away!

 

Years ago a TV commercial showed a frantic woman scrambling to simultaneously deal with a ringing phone, screaming children, barking dog, and a delivery person at her door.    

Finally in desperation she throws her hands up and cries, "Calgon, take me away!" Immediately she's luxuriating in her bathroom tub, discreetly covered in bubbles from the neck down.

Evidently behind the scenes in Happy Commercial Land the dog stops barking to answer the phone, the delivery person baby-sits the children, and Betty Crocker and the Keebler Elves have dinner under control.

How about you? Do you feel overwhelmed? Could you use a Calgon moment? I'm pretty sure the Fed-Ex man and Marie Callender won't show up to help any time soon, but there's some good news.

There's a God who love you. He wants to help you.

Here's what He says:

           "And call for help when you’re in trouble—

               I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.” Psalm 50:15 The Message

So the next time life buries you in a multi-tasking avalanche, don't crumble under it. Call to God for help. He's available 24/7.

 

Betty Crocker and the Keebler Elves are already busy in my kitchen.

Photo courtesy of stockimages @ http://www.freedigitalphotos.net